It’s never too early to start healthy life habits, and that includes getting your kids active and moving. Just like adults, kids like to see the impact of their actions in real time. It’s common to see our friends and colleagues with the latest Garmins and Fitbits, but the best kid’s fitness tracker has been a little tougher to nail down, mostly because finding something they’ll wear daily can be a challenge.
Depending on your kids’ age, they may want a fitness tracker that offers fun goals and notifications, or maybe something a little more geeky that floods them with interesting stats and data about themselves.
Whatever you are looking for, we’ve reviewed some of the most popular gadgets out there to find the best kid’s fitness trackers available!
The Fitbit Ace is a little pricey, but feature-rich and very cool.
Best fitness tracker for kids
1. FitBit Ace 2 Activity Tracker for Kids
The FitBit Ace 2 is a fitness tracker watch designed especially for kids to help them build their healthy habits. It is super child friendly from the colourful, waterproof straps, to the easy to use interface that clearly shows their daily progress.
The tracker tracks every step and active minute, and comes with virtual badges and on-screen celebrations when they have hit their goals. It is waterproof too, so that they can get as wet or as messy as they like all in the name of being healthy!
The FitBit Ace 2 has a sleep tracker to enable you to keep track of other healthy habits such as ensuring they get enough sleep at night, but it doesn’t measure heart rate or the impact of different sports such as cycling. It syncs to the FitBit app (including a special kid’s view) so you can keep a record over time.
Customise your kids’ FitBit Ace 2 by easily changing the strap, or setting different animations on the watch face, and see how they use it to see the impact of their daily activities.
- Step and active minutes counter
- Waterproof
- Customisable straps and screens
- Kid-friendly
- Sleep tracker
2. Aupalla Kids Health Activity Tracker
Get your small kids into activity and exercise with the Aupalla activity tracker. With this fitness tracker watch for kids on their wrist, your child can track their steps, active minutes, heart rate, calories, and distance covered, all as they go about their day to day lives. You can also set it up to measure the impact of up to 4 different sports such as running, football, cycling, with data about steps, heart rate, calories and more for each one.
This tracker is sturdy and strong, and it is waterproof so that you can measure every swim, play time in the rain, or jump into a puddle.
You can also help your child build habits with the sleep tracker which looks at how much sleep they have had, or the reminders feature which vibrates or beeps to remind your child to go to bed, do their chores, or get up and move.
Sync the Aupalla tracker to an app on your phone to keep a record of every day’s activity.
Choose this watch for your kids, and help them understand how every activity counts.
- Made specially for kids
- Waterproof
- 4 sports modes to see impact of different activities
- Reminders
- Heart rate and sleep trackers
3. Garmin Vivofit Jr. 2 Activity Tracker
The Garmin Vivofit Jr is a step tracker designed especially for children aged 6 years and up. The tracker comes in different branded designs from Disney princesses to Marvel comic heroes to motivate your kids to move like their heros. It tracks steps, active minutes, and sleep, with app based prizes when your child reaches the 60 active minutes goal. This tracker is suitable for every activity from running and jumping to swimming.
The Garmin Vivofit Jr syncs to a parent-controlled app which you can use to set up timed tasks and reminders. Your child can use the timer to see how long they have left for each task. As each tracker is themed, you can set them tasks and prizes accordingly. You can also track your entire family on the app so that you can all compete against each other.
The tracker comes with a long lasting lithium battery which Garmin says will last 1 year without recharging, so it really does keep up with your kids.
All you need to do is pick a favourite character…
- Step and active minutes counter
- Sleep tracker
- Long-lasting battery
- Sync to app for more features and competitions
- Designed specially for kids
4. BIGGERFIVE Fitness Tracker Watch for Kids
The BIGGERFIVE fitness tracker watch for kids is designed specially for kids from age 5 and up, and looks good enough for even your fashion-conscious teenager to keep strapped to their wrist. It automatically monitors steps, distance, and calories burned, all of which is visible on the tracker itself so your kid can keep track of their activity themselves throughout the day.
Encourage a full healthy lifestyle with the sleep tracker which provides data about sleep trends throughout the night. It also comes with an alarm which can be set up from the app, to remind your kids to wake up in the morning!
Simply plug the tracker directly into a USB port to charge. Sync it to the VeryFitPro app to see progress over time. Unfortunately it only syncs to phones, and only one tracker can be synced to the app at the time, so your child needs to have their own phone.
Choose your colour combination from black and blue, blue and green, and pink and purple, and get on track to healthy habits now.
- Tracks steps, distance, and calories
- Waterproof
- Syncs to app for long term progress
- Sleep tracker
- Child-sized wrist straps
5. MoreFit Kids Fitness Tracker
Encourage healthy habits with this complete fitness tracker specially designed for kids. Track steps, distance, calories burned, heart rate, and sleep all day, every day. The multi sports mode lets you measure the impact of individual activities such as walking, running, or cycling, and it is waterproof for swimming too.
Plug it in to a computer or charger via the USB port at one end of the tracker itself. Sync the tracker to the app JYouPro to see progress over time. As a parent you can set alarms and reminders throughout the day from wake up, reminders to do chores or homework, to get up and move around, and even to remind them to go to bed.
The strap on this watch comes out relatively large, so it is more suitable for older kids.
The latest version has a colour screen which looks good and shows all the data clearly, and the straps come in black, blue, green, pink, or purple, so choose your kid’s favourite colour and start them off on a new path today.
- Step and activity counters
- HR and blood pressure monitors
- Multi sports mode to track different activities
- Plug into USB port to charge
- Sync to app on your phone
6. YoYoFit Lod Kids Fitness Tracker
What really sets the YoYoFit Lod tracker apart from the others is that it is designed with kids who swim in mind, from the highly waterproof tracker and strap, to the swimming mode which tracks you as you swim. In all it has 5 sports modes, including walking, running, cycling, climbing, and swimming, covering the kinds of activities your kids do on a regular basis.
The YoYoFit Lod tracker monitors steps, calories, burned, miles covered, active minutes and more throughout the day. You can see all the data, including heart rate and steps on the watch itself, to allow your kids to see the impact of their activity on their heart rate, and sedentary reminders to give them a nudge to move every hour.
Sync it to the JYouPro app to keep a record of activity and progress over time.
The sleek, no metal band is available in black, blue, pink, and purple, and looks good on any wrist, including kids’ wrists. Get it now, and start seeing how much you can move.
- Waterproof
- 5 sports modes
- Heart rate tracker
- Reminders to move and do other chores
- Kid friendly design
7. Honor Band 5 Fitness Tracker
The Honor Band 5 is a great fitness tracker for older children who want to use it to keep track of their own fitness. As well as step count, distance, active minutes, and calories burned, it also has a constant heart rate monitor showing the impact of different activities on general fitness. Sports modes can help you get a better training experience as it allows for real time data. GPS tracking is also great for runners.
This band is also great for swimmers – it can detect swim speed, distance, and calories burned as you put in those lengths at the local pool.
Sleep is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, and the Honor Band 5 tracks good sleep, bad sleep, and periods of wakefulness over the course of the night. It also provides tips for how to improve sleep.
Get your watch, sync is to the Huawei Health app on any smartphone, and create your healthy lifestyle today.
- Sports mode for real time tracking
- Monitor sleep duration and quality
- Waterproof
- Heart rate monitor for overall health
- Good for older kids
8. Tipmant Fitness Tracker for Kids
Another great fitness tracker for older kids who want a watch that can measure their workouts. Whether you are a runner, swimmer, athlete, or enjoy lots of different sports, this comfortable, waterproof watch will be on your wrist all day every day.
Aside from working out, keep track of a healthy and balanced lifestyle with step counter, distance covered, and calories burned. The constant heart rate monitor allows you to keep track as you move, and the sleep tracker measures the quality and duration of sleep. This watch also has alerts to remind you to move every hour.
Connect it to the H Band app on your phone to sync it and keep a record of workouts and progress for each and every day. Connect it to your phone via bluetooth for text, email, and incoming call alerts, or to use the GPS when running.
Use this tracker as a tool for a healthy lifestyle.
- Track all activity all day long
- Waterproof
- Connect to phone for smart notifications
- Heart rate and sleep tracker
- Good for older kids
How to choose the best children’s fitness tracker
A fitness tracker watch for kids is a great way to teach them healthy habits from a young age that will stay with them throughout their lives. The NHS recommends at least 60 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity (such as walking, cycling, riding a scooter) every day. Older kids may prefer to start tracking their steps every day, aiming for the ‘magic number’ of 10,000 steps a day. In addition, they recommend strengthening activities at least 3 times a week, and that every child should get up and move throughout the day.
The best fitness tracker for kids will be inexpensive, simple to use, and comfortable. Also something that’s fun to use. Anything that encourages kids to be active is a good thing!
What you should look for in a fitness tracker watch for kids
1. A tracker that encourages them to move more. This could be with rewards and acknowledgement when they have achieved daily goals, timers which show them how much longer they need to keep moving, or time remaining in their current task, or simply a tracker that gives them a nudge every hour to get up and move for 10 minutes.
2. Real time updates. Most people do better when they can see the impact of their activity in real time, and kids are no exception. Many kids don’t have access to a smartphone, so look for a tracker that shows them their progress on their wrist.
3. Additional tracking features. A healthy lifestyle is about more than just movement. The best kids fitness trackers also show them additional information such as sleep quality, so that they can learn more the relationship between a good night’s sleep and a healthy lifestyle.
The best fitness trackers for kids
Best fitness tracker for very young kids
Encourage your kids to take responsibility for their health and fitness from a young age with the Aupalla Kids Health Activity Tracker. This tracker has it all from step counter and calories burned, to heart rate monitoring and sleep tracking to help your kid build an all-round healthy lifestyle. It is also better value than many of the branded watches for kids this age, with more functions, and the ability to grow with them.
Best fitness tracker for pre-teens
Balance function and trendiness with the BIGGERFIVE Fitness Tracker Watch for Kids. This looks a lot like a small FitBit, but provides better value, allowing your kids to concentrate on competing with their friends on the things that matter – their daily step count and activity that is!
Best fitness tracker for older kids and teenagers
For teenagers who are serious about their health and fitness, look no further than the Honor Band 5. As well as encouraging them to continue their healthy habits from good sleep to active minutes throughout the day, the sport modes demonstrate the impact of specific activities allowing them to analyse their workouts every day.
Best children’s fitness tracker for swimming
The YoYoFit Lod Kids Fitness Tracker is a great tracker for swimmers of all ages, with a swimming mode which tracks the distance, stroke, and calories burned as you swim. This activity tracker also does all the things the others do, so if your kid is into swimming, look no further.
References:
https://www.superhealthykids.com/kid-fitness/fitness-trackers-for-kids/
https://www.dumblittleman.com/do-fitness-trackers-work/
https://www.techradar.com/news/should-children-wear-fitness-trackers
Last update on 2024-04-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
